Saudi forces shoot down 'toy drone' near royal palace

Police open investigation, state media says, as videos posted online purport to show area ringing with heavy gunfire.

21 Apr 2018 22:49 GMT

Saudi forces have shot down a toy drone near the royal palace in the capital, Riyadh, as videos posted online purported to show the area ringing with heavy gunfire.

The official spokesman of Riyadh police said on Saturday that security forces "dealt with" an unauthorised, small drone-type toy after spotting it at a security point in Khuzama neighbourhood, state-run news agency SPA said.

An investigation into the incident, which happened at 7:50pm (16:50 GMT), was under way, added SPA.

There was no immediate information about any injuries or damage.

Footage shared on social media appeared to show heavy shooting that lasted for at least 30 seconds, sparking speculation of political unrest.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.